Lakers fans willing to pay high price of playoffs

May 28, 2008

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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THANKS GRANDMA: Josh Jones, left, and Mike Majors, both from Orange, show off their 4th-row-from-the-floor seats, with a face value of $330.00 before the start of Game 2 . The tickets were a gift from Majors' grandmother who's been a season ticket holder for years. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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AND THAT WILL BE $85: A Kobe Bryant jersey sells for $85 in the team store. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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PRICE INCREASE: Parking attendant Carlos De Leon increases the price for parking to $30 across the street from Staples Center before the start of Game 2. The price goes up to $50 right before tip-off. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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NEED A TICKET?: Fans line up for a chance at left-over tickets before the start of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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CHEAP RIDE: A Lakers fan takes the Metro Rail Blue Line to the game. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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NEEDING A HAND: Foam fingers await purchase at the team store inside Staples Center. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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COME ON IN: Fans enter Staples Center before the start of Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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DRINKS ANYONE?: Lakers fan order drinks from the Figueroa Bar inside Staples Center before the start of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Margarita for $11, anyone? KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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PRICEY BEVERAGE: Specialty drinks run up to $12 at the game. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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FIRST ONE IN: A Lakers fan waits for the doors to open before the start of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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JERSEY CITY: Lakers fans buy merchandise before the start of Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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THIN AIR: Fans sit at the top of Section 305, nearly the farthest you can get from the floor, before the start of Game 2. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

THANKS GRANDMA: Josh Jones, left, and Mike Majors, both from Orange, show off their 4th-row-from-the-floor seats, with a face value of $330.00 before the start of Game 2 . The tickets were a gift from Majors' grandmother who's been a season ticket holder for years. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Next: Lakers vs. Spurs

Poll

At what price?

Are you crazy about the Lakers? What would you go without to score tickets for a Lakers playoff game. Enter your comment below, and we'll pick the most creative answer.

LOS ANGELES-- Two tickets to a Lakers-Spurs game: $372.

Parking: $20.

Gas: $13.50.

A large draft beer: $8.75.

Hot dog: $4.75.

Seeing the Lakers play in the Western Conference finals at Staples Center: Pricey.

Outside of the courtside crowd, these days most Lakers fans are acutely aware of how deep their pockets are in relation to how deep their love is for the team. With the economy nearly in a recession and gas prices at an all-time high, green plays a prominent role in their purple-and-gold loyalty

"I joked with my wife on the way over here that we could go to the Lakers game or feed the kids," said Dave Overoye of Claremont.

Overoye had just made a withdrawal from an ATM and was standing in line to grab some food before returning to his seat in section 333 -- the uppermost reaches of Staples Center -- to catch the second half of Game 2 last week.

Before the evening is done Overoye will spend more than $400. He is one of countless Lakers fans willing to spend for the marquee event in town.

"I just don't think about it," Overoye said.

Tickets for Lakers playoff games sold out within hours of going on sale last month.

For the conference finals, prices started at $24 each for tickets in sections 308-312, which are behind the baskets in the top section of Staples Center, and went to $335 for floor seats, although those are usually already taken by season-ticket holders.

Those who missed out on the initial sale could buy from season-ticket holders on the Lakers' Web site, and the markup was significant.

A recent glance at the prices revealed $156-$417.60 each for tickets in the upper bowl (300s section). Tickets started at $294 for the middle bowl (200s) and $379.20 for the floor (100s).

A floor ticket right between the baskets (section 101) started at $840.

Another option is ticket brokers, but selection is tight and prices often higher.

How much does one night of Lakers action cost?

For the average fan like Overoye, who paid $186 each for two tickets, parking is $20-$30 on Figueroa Street. A large draft beer is $8.75, and soda is $4-$5. A hot dog is $4.75, popcorn or peanuts $5.

With the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas around $4 in Orange County, a 70-mile round-trip drive to Staples Center will cost about $14.

So for a family of three to attend a Lakers playoff game and enjoy some concessions from the upper bowl, the final bill would run more than $600.

And if the Lakers reach the NBA Finals, the cost for the next round -- especially for tickets -- certainly will increase again.

"For me, it cuts down on the amount of spending I do (elsewhere)," said Seth Wilson of Simi Valley, who took in Game 2 with his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

Wilson, 33, is a season-ticket holder in section 321. He makes back some of the money by selling a portion of his regular-season ticket allotment.

"We break even," he said.

Wilson, a computer-network engineer, said he's not feeling the pinch yet, but he feels bad for those who have been priced out by the economy.

For others, seeing the Lakers make a run at the NBA Finals for the first time since 2004 makes it worthwhile.

Yet as he stood in line tallying up the damage from one night of what would be a Lakers blowout victory, Overoye shook his head.

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